Former Prime Minister of Albania, Sali Berisha.
(dpa) The Albanian Democratic Party (PD) has ruled out its most prominent co-founder, former President and Prime Minister Sali Berisha. This was reported by the media in Tirana after a marathon meeting of the PD board, which ended in the early morning hours of Tuesday. The expulsion from the largest opposition party affected eight other functionaries who, like Berisha, deny the legitimacy of the current chairman, Lulzim Basha.
The power struggle between Basha and Berisha escalated last Saturday when thousands of Berisha’s supporters stormed the PD party headquarters. They did not enter Basha’s offices because they were blocked by additional security doors. Eventually the police drove away the intruders using tear gas.
The 77-year-old Berisha was the dominant politician in Albania at the time of democratic change and in the following 20 years. From 2005 to 2013 he was Prime Minister of the country. His critics accused him of extensive corruption and nepotism. Open election fraud is also said to have gone to his account. As president (1992-1997) he was blamed for the civil war-like conflicts in the country.
47-year-old Basha has headed the PD since 2013. He had replaced Berisha after he had resigned from the party chairmanship as a result of a severe election defeat. Last September, PD Berisha expelled Basha from its parliamentary group. The US had previously imposed an entry ban on the political veteran on charges of corruption.